Faith, Hope, Love in a new light

Don't Ever Give Up!

How easy it is for us girls to forget this. It seems we have everything working against us. The world constantly telling us and showing us that we don't measure up to "their" standards because we don't look, act or conform to how "they" think we should look, act or be. It is hard, if it were easy, no one would struggle with this. Do we really trust Jesus with our heart? I have found that too is not an easy thing. So many times, it's just easier to hide than to put your heart out there one more time. But if we don't offer it, time and time again, then we won't be all that God created us to be for those He needs us to be it for. It is scary that it's out of our control when we offer our heart in Faith, Hoping to make a difference to be seen and enjoyed for who God made us to be. I can totally relate as I know you can too. We want it to matter, and we can't give up hope......ever. I have this cartoon on the side of my fridge that I have had for years. I copied it from someone. It is a picture of a Crane standing in the swamp, and he has just opened his beak and started to swallow a big bull frog. The frog has grabbed the Crane around the neck with both hands so there is no way he can swallow him. The caption reads "Don't Ever Give Up!" I live by that and it has brought me so much encouragement over the years. It's not over until its over. So read todays message below, and don't hide, don't strive, but by Faith, unveil your beauty to others regardless of the outcome and trust Jesus with it. Unveil your beauty in Hope that it is going to matter, that you are going to make a difference in someone and for someone and trust Jesus with it. Unveil your beauty in Love, truly from the heart, so that the world and all those you care about can see Jesus. He put these attributes in us because they are His attributes. Don't hide anymore. Close your eyes, take a deep breath, and jump in!------Tam

"Unveiling our beauty really just means unveiling our feminine hearts.

It’s scary, for sure. That is why it is our greatest expression of faith, because we are going to have to trust Jesus—really trust him. We’ll have to trust him that we have a beauty, that what he has said of us is true. And we’ll have to trust him with how it goes when we offer it, because that is out of our control. We’ll have to trust him when it hurts, and we’ll have to trust him when we are finally seen and enjoyed. That’s why unveiling our beauty is how we live by faith.

Unveiling our beauty is our greatest expression of hope. We hope it will matter, that our beauty really does make a difference. We hope there is a greater and higher Beauty, hope we are reflecting that Beauty, and hope it will triumph. Our hope is that all is well because of Jesus, and that all will be well because of him. So we unveil beauty in hope. And finally, we unveil beauty in the hope that Jesus is growing our beauty. Yes, we are not yet what we long to be. But we are under way. Restoration has begun. To offer beauty now is an expression of hope that it will be completed.

And unveiling beauty is our greatest expression of love, because it is what the world most needs from us. When we choose not to hide, when we choose to offer our hearts, we are choosing to love. Jesus offers, he invites, he is present. That is how he loves. That is how we love—sincerely, as the Scripture says, “from the heart” (1 Peter 1:22). Our focus shifts from self-protection to the hearts of others. We offer Beauty so that their hearts might come alive, be healed, know God. That is love." (Captivating , 147)